The present invention relates to a device for retaining at least two specimen collecting tubes in a preselected spaced relationship and, more particularly, to a clamp for interconnecting tubes containing separated phases of a body fluid, such as blood.
It is universally required that samples of blood drawn for cross-matching in connection with blood transfusions be centrifuged and that the serum be separated therefrom immediately after clotting. This procedure curtails auto absorption. The phases of blood obtained in this way must be maintained in a separated condition and identified with the patient for future reference.
Systems have been devised for correlating the various samples and units of blood taken from a particular patient and identifying them with the patient. One such system includes a pair of specimen container tubes having color coded stoppers and suitable patient identifying indicia which is also found on a wrist band worn by the patient. However, the specimen containing tubes of such systems are likely to become separated or lost, causing valuable time to be lost in locating them before a blood transfusion can be administered. Although it is possible to maintain the tubes for a given patient in close proximity in a tube rack, it is both inconvenient and time consuming to cross check the indicia on the tubes each time they are removed from the rack. The possibility also exists that a worker in an emergency will pull a clot tube from one patient and a serum tube from another.
Attempts have also been made to physically connect the clot and serum tubes of each patient to avoid confusion and assure proper match. In some cases, the clot and serum tubes are held together by tape and rubber bands. However, tubes connected in this way are difficult to maintain upright because they do not fit within conventional tube racks.
Another proposal for correlating specimen tubes is disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 199,251, filed Oct. 21, 1980, now abandoned, by Mark O. Walker. The Walker application relates to a spacer positioned between a pair of collecting tubes to hold the tubes together. The spacer is adhesively bonded at one side to a clot tube and is either formed integrally with or adhesively bonded to a serum tube at its other side. However, the Walker structure can be somewhat expensive to produce and assemble due to the use of adhesives. It is also possible that the adhesive will fail, causing the tubes to become separated. When the spacer is formed integrally with the serum tube, the proposal requires a nonstandard tube which increases cost.
Therefore, in many applications it is desirable to provide a device and system for holding related specimens of body fluids together indefinitely and permitting the specimens to be easily stored in that condition.